Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, the Minister-Designate for the Interior, has strongly advocated for the mandatory use of body cameras by all Ghanaian police officers. This proposal, presented during his vetting by Parliament's Appointments Committee on January 24th, aims to address escalating concerns regarding police misconduct, including allegations of extortion and brutality.
Mr. Mubarak, a Member of Parliament for Asawase, emphasized that the widespread adoption of body cameras would significantly enhance police accountability and rebuild public trust in the Ghana Police Service. He acknowledged the growing public discontent stemming from numerous reported incidents of police brutality and extortion, which have severely undermined public confidence in law enforcement agencies.
The Minister-Designate's proposed policy mandates that every police officer wear and activate a body camera while on official duty. This measure, he argued, would provide an objective and verifiable record of all police interactions with the public. The resulting video evidence would serve to clarify ambiguous situations and eliminate disputes surrounding police conduct.
Mr. Mubarak explained the rationale behind his proposal, stating: "We will ensure that if you are a police officer and you have to step out, then you have your body camera on to remove all ambiguity and trouble because when you put the body camera on, everywhere you are, you are being recorded. So that when you are on the road extorting money and brutalizing others, it will show and record whatever the police officer is doing." The implementation of this policy represents a significant step towards improving transparency and accountability within the Ghana Police Service and fostering a more positive relationship between law enforcement and the public.
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